Recipe: This Kale Chicken Caesar Salad is Perfect for a Gestational Diabetes Diet

Being diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD) in pregnancy can be stressful, and you might be left with questions on how best to manage the condition. The good news is that you can largely treat gestational diabetes at home with dietary changes and exercise.

But first, a brief explanation of what gestational diabetes is. It’s a condition where your body doesn’t produce enough insulin (or your cells don’t respond to the insulin signal properly) which means that glucose stays in the blood stream instead of being converted into energy for your cells. The result? High blood sugar (A.K.A. blood glucose). Gestational diabetes is when this develops only in pregnancy (affecting up to 25% of pregnancies)—and it tends to resolve after pregnancy as well. But it’s important to manage it while you have it in order to avoid symptoms like high blood pressure.

Learn More About Gestational Diabetes →

Key nutrients and tips for a gestational diabetes diet:

Adjusting your diet is the main treatment of gestational diabetes (though if diet and exercise alone don’t help, you might be prescribed insulin, too). Here are a few guidelines to follow if you have gestational diabetes:

• Eat regularly throughout the day in smaller portions

• Keep breakfast low carb

• Prioritize plant-based or lean protein and healthy fats and pair them with carbs

Foods to Avoid While Pregnant →

(This is not meant to replace medical advice and any dietary changes should be discussed with your healthcare provider.)

Kale Chicken Caesar Salad for a Gestational Diabetes Diet

This salad is a great recipe for a gestational diabetes diet because it combines lean protein (chicken) with fibre (kale) and healthy fats (olive oil) to help keep blood sugar stable.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sourdough rye bread but into bite-sized piece

• 4 cups kale, rib removed and torn into bite-sized pieces

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

• 2 4-ounce chicken breasts, diced

• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp. avocado-based mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

• 3 tbsp. parmesan cheese, optional

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Toss the bread in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

4. Rinse and drain your kale pieces before tossing into a salad bowl. Set aside.

5. Prepare your dressing by combining ¼ cup olive oil, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper (and parmesan, if using). Tip: Prepare in a glass jar with a lid to easily shake it up.

6. Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands.

7. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

8. Use the same pan to cook the diced chicken. Sauté until cooked through.

9. Top your salad with shallots and chicken and enjoy!